Amsterdam

I took a day trip to Amsterdam...on my own...should be an adventure, eh?

The stereotype of Amsterdam is often one of prostitution and drugs being widely available and acceptable. However, this is a gross misportrayal of the city! There are canals running throughout the city, almost paralleling every street. These are lined with trees and tall houses with the famous ornamental gables at the top. I found the architecture of all the buildings really impressive and the overall atmosphere so charming!

Indeed, Amsterdam is a place of tremendous culture. I went to the Van Gogh Museum, and the Rijksmuseum, which houses many of Rembrandt's work. It's so awesome to see these famous artists' original paintings! I've studied them in college and gained a real appreciation, and I'm able to be in their homeland and see their work. There really is such tremendous talent, fine skill and reservoir of expression in their paintings. (Learning more about Van Gogh's difficult life, while journeying through the work he produced at those times brought more meaning to it all.) It's amazing how visual art evokes an unspoken emotion that is felt without need for words--music does the same thing, though in a different way. Mmm.

I took a canal cruise, seeing and learning about many historical and artistic places. I found the Begijnhof, a quiet courtyard surrounded by old houses, once occupied by Beguine nuns, and still home to single women today--only a narrow vaulted passageway leading to this hidden garden. I went in the two old and famous churches, a tulip market, and the Anne Frank house.

Finally, I made my way to the red light district...I had been told I should go before dark, just to see what it's like. The streets are lined with coffee shops--but a coffee shop in The Netherlands means a shop where you can get hash/marajuana (soft drugs). This is definitely not a place for a cappuccino! Even as you walk past, you can smell it. Everywhere there were neon signs advertising the coffee shops and the sex shops. Very explicitly...

I turned down a side street and suddenly realized I was on a street for window prostitution. I don't want to go into detail in this blog, but let's just say I was thoroughly startled, very uncomfortable and tried to get off this street as soon as possible (which was not easy).

So I quickly had spent more than enough time in this area, and made my way back to the truly delightful parts of Amsterdam. Indeed, it is a great city and now is on my list of top favorites!